Fluid container



March 7, 1950 L. M. COOPER FLUID CONTAINER Filed June 29, 1945 2 SheetS -Sheet 1 Lyle- Cooper :Snvenbor *0 2x 2 Clbborneq March 7, 1950 1.. M. COOPER FLUID CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1945 F1 GQ-E:

FIG.

Lyle Cooper Bnvenbor Clbbor r1 eq Patented Mar. 7, 1950 2,500,119. FLUID CONTAINER Lyle M. Cooper, Rahway, N. J., asslgnor to Standard Oil Development Company,

of Delaware a corporation Application June 29, 1945, Serial No. 602,222

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid containers, and in particular to containers for fluids under gaseous pressure.

In the distribution of fluids useful as insecticides and in the extinction of fires, it is desirable that fluids be commercially available in containers separate from the dispensing eouipment. The containers in such cases must be solidly constructed and effectively sealed in order to withstand the contained pressure and handling occurring upon distribution. Moreover, it is desirable that the sealing means be easily broken upon the insertion of the dispensing equipment. In addition, also, it is desirable that there be some sort of safety release device to prevent the attainment of hazardous pressures due to unforeseen conditions of temperature and deterioration of the container fluids during handling. The present invention is concerned with container equipment advantageous for such commercial usages.

It is an object of the invention to make available a container so constructed as to be easily connected to a dispenser. Another object of the invention is to make available a container, as a separate unit from the dispensing equipment, which is of sturdy construction and passes the rigid commercial requirements for containers of fluids under pressure. It is also an object of the invention to make available containers separate from the dispensing equipment which are capable of being easily sealed and capable of pressure relief under abnormal conditions of storage of th contained fluids. It is also an object of the invention to make available containers easily refillable and easily cleaned for subsequent usage.

Containers designed according to the invention consist of generally cylindrical receptacles having curved portions preferably for the top and bottom sections. Through about the center of the container a tube extends from an opening or neck piece in the top almost to, or to the bottom. The end of the lower portion of the tube is out at an angle when the tube extends to the bottom of the container to permit of the flowing of liquid from the container into the tube. The tube may be of several different types. Commonly, the tube in its upper portion has an enlarged conical section or funnel portion which rests upon a similar but recessed portion of the neck of the container equipment. Also, commonly, another form of the tube has a venting friction fit such as by fluting in that portion lying within the neck portion of the container. Thus the tube may be constructed either for easy insertion and removal from the all container or it may be relatively permanently assembled in the container.

Sealing of the tube in the neck piece is usually effected by the compression of a washer or gasket over the top outer edges of the tube by means of a cap secured to the neck by an easily fusible alloy. The cap has usually a thin, easily penetrable area in its bottom portion to permit of easy puncture In order that the invention may be more fully 4 understood, thefollowing specific description and illustrations of a particular embodiment and certain specific features will be presented.

Figur 1 illustrates the general form of a particular embodiment. Figure 2 presents detail of the neck portion of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top view of a nozzle head containing a different type tube from that shown in Figure 1, without the cap or washer portion. Figure 4 presents details with regard to a variation of tube and sealing cap, Figure 3 being the top view without the sealing cap. Figures 5 and 6 present showings of alternate forms of caps and sealing means.

Referring to Figure 1, the container I0 is shown as consisting of a cylindrical portion I? with curvatured ends 14 and H6. The top piece or head I4 is shown as having a circular hole ill in its center. Into the head I4 is inserted the nozzle 20 through the hole It and sealing contact made by means of connecting the shoulder 22 of the nozzle to the under portion of the head-piece l4 around the opening I8.

The container in and the nozzle 20' are usually made of steel, while the tube may be any suitable material such as metal, glass or plastic. The container commonly consists of a length of circular metal tubing in the ends of which is pressed with close fit, or for a distance sufficient for proper .brazing, the curvatured portions l4 and. I6. Thus,

the projecting edge of the tube beyond the lower portion permits this portion to act as a base for the purpose of standing the container in an upright position. Sometimes, however, the container I0 is prepared from deep drawn shells which are Welded together about the middle of the cylindrical portion l2 and then a piece of tubing brazed over the lower portion to act as a base similar to the lower portion of the tube It for the purpose of standing the container in a stable upright position.

Nozzle 20 is provided with an external thread 24 on its exterior surface for the purpose of attaching a valving and spraying fitting.

A vertical cylindrical hole 26 extends down ward on the vzz'ical center line of the nozzle, until it meets a cular, narrow horizontal shoulder 28, the inne edge of which also forms the top edge of a conical opening 2 I, whose vertical center line coincides with the vertical axis of hole 26 and nozzle 20. A continuous thin layer of low melting point alloy 23 is applied to the inner cylindrical surface 26 in nozzle 20 after the latter is brazed or welded to the case Ill.

The conical hole 2|, in nozzle 20 acts as a support and seat for a riser tube 30, whose top end 32 is flared to match the sloping sides of conical opening 2 I. The riser tube 30 is not brazed, welded or fastened in any manner to the metal of nozzle 20, but merely rests therein and may be constructed of metal, glass, plastic, or of any suitable material, chemically inert to the liquid contents to be used in the container. Tube 30 is extended downward to a point as close to the bottom of the container as will permit free and unobstructed flow of liquid contents into its bottom end.

An elastic rubber washer 40 having a hole 42 through its center is placed upon, and covers, jointly, throughout their horizontal surfaces, the shoulder 28 in nozzle 20 and the top edge of the flared end 32 of pipe 30, so that when Washer 40 is compressed by pressure from above, it will act to seal the opening at the mutually contacting surfaces of tube 30 and nozzle 20 and in addition will mechanically secure the former in its proper position in the latter.

A cup-shaped, circular, pressed metal plug or cap 50 of suitable diameter for a surface contacting fit in the hole lined by application of low melting point alloy 23, in nozzle 20, and whose outer cylindrical surface 52 has been previously tinned or dipped to apply thereto a thin coating of low melting point alloy similar or like 23, is inserted into nozzle 20 and depressed until the bottom surface of cap 50 is in contact with and compresses the essentially flat-type rubber washer 40 at which time sufficient heat is applied to the assembly to cause the low melting point alloy in nozzle 20 and on cap 50 to fuse and thus solder cap 53 securely in place. Enough low melting point alloy should be applied on either or both the cap 50 and nozzle 20 to assure a complete and hermetically tight joint of the soldering alloy. A thinned circular area 54 is provided in the center of the bottom of cap 50 and is designed to be pierced by a penetrating-point formed on a component of the valve and spray assembly which will be attached to nozzle 20 when the container is utilized for spraying.

Low melting point alloy is utilized to solder cap 50 into nozzle 20 for the dual purpose of securing the former structurally with an hermetically tight joint and to permit the former also to act as a safety device wherein the cap will be ejected and release the liquefied gas from the container when the temperature and therefore the contained pressure reaches a certain maximum value before the container is put into use.

In Figure 3 is shown a tube 60 with a funnel portion 62 and a lower angle cut end 64 resting at the tip 66 on the bottom of .the container Ill. The funnel portion 62 is shown as having formed ridges 58 which are shown as contacting the inner side of the nozzle 20, thus forming open channels 63 between ridges 68. The ridges may be formed by means of tinting or otherwise indenting the outer surface. Over the top of the tube is pressed a cap 50 around the lower shoulder portion 56 of which is a cylindrical type washer 40. -When this offset type cap is compressed over the top of the funnel portion 62 of the tube 60, the washer seals simultaneously the fluted openings between the tube and the nozzle fitting and also the container proper while the central opening of the tube is left open for the free flow of liquid after the cap is punctured. The top of the cap is then welded to the neck similarly to that shown in Figure 1. In this form of tube and sealing, normal extracts or liquids may be easily introduced to the container at atmospheric conditions by reason of the venting friction fit of the tube in the neck-piece; and when the washer 40 is compressed over the top of the tube by inserting the cap, proper siphon action of the contents in the container may be had when dispensing after puncturing the cap by reason of the sealing thus efiected.

' In some cases the tube is of uniform diameter throughout its length and that portion reposed within the neck opening is provided with grooves or channels upon its outer surface to function as vents when introducing liquids at atmospheric conditions. Also in some cases, the points of contact between the tube and the neck are brazed to support the tube, and the lower end of the tube is clear of the bottom of the container.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternate version of the sealing cap for use with a flat end type tube, wherein the top edge 5| of the cap is flared out horizontally to permit soldering to the top surfact of the neck fitting which has an annular layer of solder 53 therein.

Figure 6 shows cap constructed for a friction fit of its upper portion with the neck opening, there being provided an annular ring of solder 51 I in the upper portion of the latter.

The container equipment of the invention is particularly advantageous for the distribution of insecticide fluids. In the case of several presentday insecticides, the active insecticide ingredients are combined with a liquefied gas such as di-i.

the transportation of fluids under pressure, andyet the seal is capable of being easily broken when the dispensing equipment is attached for immediate use of the contents in the container.

What is claimed is:

1. A safe and easily refillable container for fluids under gaseous pressure comprising a container shell sealed at one end and with an opening at the other end, a nozzle fitted into said opening of the shell and sealed to said shell, a tube irictionally fitted at its upper end to an interior surface of said nozzle, said tube of length extending from said nozzle into close proximity with the opposite sealed end of the container shell, a washer disposed within said nozzle engaging the upper end of said tube, and a cupshaped closure seal inserted in said nozzle, compressing the washer against the upper end of the tube and the nozzle wall, said closure seal being retained in fluid and pressure-tight relation to the nozzle by means of a low-melting metallic material fused between the closure seal and said nozzle.

2. A safe and easily refillable container for fluids under gaseous pressure adaptable for use with dispensing equipment comprising a container shell with an opening, an externally threaded nozzle fitted into said opening of the shell and sealed to the shell, a tube opening from said container into the nozzle, said tube having a fluted upper end of which the rigid portions frictionally engage the nozzle walls, the channeled portions of said end forming, with the inner nozzle wall, a plurality of vents between the interior of the container and the nozzle, said tube extending from said nozzle into close proximity with an opposite end of the shell, a washer disposed within said nozzle engaging the upper end of said tube, and a cup-shaped closure seal inserted in said nozzle, compressing the washer against the upper end of the tube and the nozzle wall, said closure seal being retained in fluid and pressure-tight relation to the nozzle by means of a low-melting metallic material fused between the closure seal and said nozzle.

LYLE M. COOPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweden Aug. 11, 1886 

